Tea plea for exemption for north Bengal

The Assam government’s decision to allow tea production has
prompted planters in north Bengal to seek exemption for the sector from
the lockdown from April 1.

Vivek Goenka, the chairman of the
Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations, wrote to Bengal chief
secretary Rajiva Sinha on Tuesday, saying guidelines for the prevention
of Covid-19’s spread, like sanitisation and social distancing of
workers, would be followed during the production.

All tea
gardens, both small and big, and bought-leaf factories (BLFs) are shut
in north Bengal following the announcement of the nationwide lockdown.

The
Bengal chief secretary had issued an order some days back, mentioning
that only spraying of pesticides and irrigation for the maintenance of
tea bushes would be allowed.

“We would request you to kindly consider granting exemption to
the tea sector from lockdown and allow tea estates to resume full
operations subject to the prescribed safety and hygiene guidelines….”
reads the letter sent by Goenka, the chairman of the apex body of the
tea planters’ associations.

The lockdown was announced amid the production of the first flush tea which commands the highest price.

The production of the second flush tea will start soon.

“The
first and second flushes yield best prices. As the Centre included tea
in the list of essential food items which are kept outside the purview
of the lockdown, we want the state to announce exemption for the tea
industry. We would surely abide by the guidelines like sanitisation and
social distancing to ensure that workers and their families, managerial
staff and others associated with the production remain safe,” said a tea
planter based in Siliguri.

The Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers’ Associations (Cista) has also sent a similar letter to Sinha.

“If
the Assam government can allow the resumption of tea production, Bengal
too, can take a similar decision. We are ready to follow the
guidelines. Otherwise, the small tea sector and the tea industry as a
whole would face huge losses and it would take months for the revival,”
said Bijoygopal Chakraborty, the president of the Cista.

https://www.telegraphindia.com

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The Assam government’s decision to allow tea production has prompted planters in north Bengal to seek exemption for the sector from the lockdown from April 1.